Improved cexraufxtq-axt suaar-draotiwa machine



H. W. & R. LAPPERTY. GENTRIFUGAL SUGARDRAINING MACHINE.

Patented Mar. 23. 1869.

THE oam: FUERS 00., moruu'rua, WASNINOTON, o, c.

dilate/l1 finite;- Qatari CITY, NEW JERSEY;

Letters Patent No. 88,185, dated March 23, 1869.

IMPROVED OENTRIPUG-AJQ SUGAR-DRAINING MACHINE.

The Schedule referred to in than Letters Patent and making part of the lame.

To aliwhom trim concern: I

B lt known that we, Huen W. Lsrrnnrrand Bonus-r LAFFERTY, of Gloucester, City, in the county of Camden, and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Self-Balancing and Self-Oentring Centrifugal Draining-Machines; and we do hereby declare the following tobe afull and exact description thereof, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of our self-balancing and self-'centring centrifugal machine;

Figure 2,-acentral vertical section thereof; Figure 3, a top view of thecone friction-pulley, illustrating the air-vents therein; and

Figure 4, a transverse section in the line a: x of fig. 1. Similar letters indicate like parts in all of the figures. The nature of our invention consists of the following novel and useful improvements in the-construction of suspended centrifugal draining-machines, viz:

' First, the combination of a compound cone frictionpulley'with the main supporting and driving-spindle of the machine, to facilitate starting and stopping the same.

Second, ,a novel combination, and arrangement of the cone friction-pulley, the main driving-pulley, and the belt connecting the two, so that when the frictionpulley is lifted and disengaged, the driving-belt shall be relieved from tension and consequent wear.

Third, the combination and arrangement of .obliquely-dis'posed air-vents in the cone friction-pulley with an air-space, over the oil-cup, containing the bearings of the spindle, to keep the same at all times cool.

Fourth, an improved oil-cup, to contain and surround the bearings of the spindle, and the combination thereof with the spindle and its supports, so as to retain the oil about the bearings, and prevent its waste oresca-pe. p

- Fifth, an improved waste-oil cup, having a contracted neck and enlarged bottom, to be secured upon the spindle, below'its bearings, so as to prevent any oil from getting into the sugar.

Sixth, an improved corrugated draining-basket,.or-

drum, having its perforations pierced in the bottom, or outer curve of the corrugations, so as to allow a free and easyegress of all liquids, as desired.

Seventh, elastic packing interposed between the foot of the hanger-s, ,or supports of the machines and the beams to which they are secured, for the'purpose of lessening the amount of vibration transmitted to the buildings in which they are placed.

In the accompanying drawings- A represents the shaft, or spindle of our improved sugar-draining machine, which supports and carries an improved corrugated cylinder, or basket, B, fig. 2.

This basket B is made of thin sheet-metal, corrugated circumferentially, and covered outwardly, in the customary manner, with wire nettings.

Numerous apertures, b b b, are pierced along the corrugations, in the outer curves thereof, to permit a free egress of liquids from the basket.

By disposing the corrugations circumferentially, in-

stead of transversely, they will retain their form, notwithstanding the rapidrevolution of the basket.

By piercing the outlet-apertures in the outer curves thereof, 'all tendency to clog up is prevented, and they remain always openand unobstructed.

The spindle Aof the machine passes centrallytbrough the bottom of the basket B. It may be provided with a shoulder, a, to support'the basket, which, in such case, is firmly secured thereon by means of a-nut, (as illustrated in the drawing, fig. 2,) or it may be made fastthereto otherwise, as found most convenient.

An annular oil-cup, D, is fitted upon the upper portion of the spindle, the bottom of the cup being extended, to form a sleeve, 0!, fig. '2, which embraces closely the spindle-A.

Within this oil cup D are placed the washers s s, constituting the bearings of thespindle A, whereon it revolves, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

The upper end of a hollow shaft, E, which is made long enough to extend about half way down the spindle, and whose inner diameter coincides-with that of thesleeve d, is also placed upon the spindle A, so that -the sleeve d shall pass down therein.

A flange, e, is formed around its upper end, equal in diameter to that of the oil-cup, as:illustrated in the drawings, and the bottom of said cup rests thereon.

The .hollow shaft E is supported, by means of its flange a, in a tripod hanger,,H, suspended from beams above, by three arms, f f f, fig.-1.

A vertical slot is cut in' the body of the hanger, to admit the shaft E, which may thus be inserted and removed at pleasure, without removing the hanger from its attachments- A key-plate, G, (see fig. 4,) is then inserted in the slot, and fastened down upon the shalt E, by means of screw-bolts g g.

Rubber, or other elastic packing strips, P P, are interposed between the arms f f f and the beamsto which they are secured, as shown in fig. 1.,

A screw-thread is out upon the spindle, above the oil-cup D, to engage a hollow nut, F, fig. 2, whose an nular flange projects downward into the annular cup D, and rests therein upon a number of annular washers, s s s, fig. 2, whose width is ,so much less than the width of the annular space within the cup as to leave an oil-space between their outercircumference and its outer side, as shown in the drawings, fig. 2.

Thus the spindle A and its basket B are-suspended by means of the hollow nut F upon the washers s s, in the oil-cup D, which rests upon the flange e of the hollow shaft, and is thereby supported in the hanger H. By increasing the number of interposed washers, s s s, the degree of friction upon each is lessened.

Motion is comnumicated to the spindle A by means of a hollow cone friction-pulley, M Njfig. 2, which is slipped down on. the spindle far enough to rest -upon the nut F, supporting the same, and is firmly secured and held by means of a second nut, K, fig. 2, engaging a screw-thread out on the spindle. I

This hollow cone friction-pulley M extends down far enough tocompietely cover the oil-cup, and reach the upper and of the hollow shaft E.

The upper division, N, of the pulley, which also fits centrally upon the spindle A, is so made and formed interiorly as to coincide and engage with the lower cone M, and yet leave an upper space, an, fig. 2, between the two. Its outer face is formed to receive a drivingbelt, 0, (see red lines, fig. 1,) in the usual manner.

Air-holes p p, figs-2 and 3, are pierced into this hollow space, obliquely and tangentially to the circumfer ence of the pulley, in a direction opposite to the direction in which the spindle A is to revolve, as illustrated in fig. 3; and similar apertures are also pierced from said space through the head of the cone l\ /I, into the space over the oil-cup D, so that the rapid revolution of the spindle will create. a strong'draught of air through said apertures, producing a current of air about and over the oi l-cup D, to keep the cup and its contents always cool, and thus prevent a rapid evaporation of oil therefrom.

The head of the pulley M N is extended upward, and grooved circumferentially, to receive the forked end of a bent lever, B, fig. 1, which is pivoted at 'r, so that a movement thereof shall elevate or depress the upper division, N, of the pulley, and cause it to engage or be disengaged from its cone N.

We contemplate so placing the driving-pulley S, fig. 1, carrying the band, or belt 0, as that the lower edge of its circumference shall be in a plane coincident with.

(or somewhat above) the lower edge of the band-space on the friction-pulley M N, and making the said drivingpulley S of such a. diameter as that when the frictionpulley is disengaged by-the elevation of its upper di vision, N, the band shall be loosened, and thus saved, when the spindle is at rest, from the wear and tear incident to a constant tension thereof.

The lower end of the hollow shaft E is threaded to receive a hollow nut, K, which bears up againsta' divided washer, t, fig. 2, closely encircling the spindle A, but provided with an outer conical face, bearing against a conical seat formed in the inner surface of the shaft E, as shown in fig. 2 of the drawings. A bearing and support is thus obtained between the lower end of the hollow shaft and the enclosed driving-spindle, at this point.

Below the end of the hollow shaft E, we secure a waste-oil cup, '1, encircling the spindle A, which will catch all waste oil flowing down the same, and prevent it from passing into the contents of the basket below. The bottom of this larged, whilst its rim, or neck 'is' contracted, as il l us.-. trated in the drawings, so as to prevent the oil from being thrown olit bythencntrifugal force created by the revolution of the spindle and cup;

The bearings of the spindle within the hollow shaft, both above and below, are lubricated from an oil-cup, Q, on the. upper end of the spindle, from which the oil passes down to the upper hearings in the oil-cup 'D, along a groove, w, cut in the spindle down to this point, as shown in fig. 2 of the drawings, and from thence it passes down the surface of the spindle,to the lower bearings in the washer t.

The basket B is enclosed within an outer casing, V, of the ordinary description.

A brake, W, is applied to the lower end of the spindle A, which is made to project, for this purpose, beneath the casing, all as fully'illustrated in fig. 2 of the drawlugs. The brake is made of a ball-a! d-cup form, so as cup is very greatly ento operate as a check, to prevent any undue movement of the spindle, as well as toarrest therevolution thereof, when desired.

Our improved machine possesses very many advan-. tages over those heretofore in use.

The corrugated basket is not oniy lighter than the old forms thereof, but stronger, because of the corrugations, and because fewer perforations are required therein, the holes being connected by the grooves, or corrugations, which form channels, allowing a ficw of the liquid from the one to the other, in such manner as to prevent a clogging thereof. From this fact, also, an equilibrium of the casket is more quickly obtained, and its contents farmore rapidly dried than in the old machines.

Sulficient play is allowed to the lower end of the spindle, to permit the basket to attain its equilibrium under the influence of an unequal distribution of its contents, but an excess of orbicular motion is prevented by the peculiar formation of the cup-brake.

The use of rubber, or other elastic packing, in the bearings,-or to'control or operate upon the moving parts of the machine, is dispensed with, so that the wear incident thereto, and the eccentricities produced by too free a movement of the operative parts, are avoided.

The small diameterof the spindle permits an elasticity therein, sufficient to admit of such a deviation thereof from a true vertical line, as a proper balancing of the basket, to'prevent a violent jarring thereof, may demand.

Thus the machine is selfbalancing and self-ce'n'tring in its movement.

Although the spindle is elastic, it is so strengthened at its weakest point, by the hearing at the lower end of the hollow shaft, enclosing the same, that all danger of a breakage thereof is avoided.

By interposing an elastic packing between the supports of the machine, and the beams to which they are secured, even the slight jarring, which will occur when the machine is first started, is dissipated.

By combining a friction-pulley with the spindle of each machine, each machine is made independent of all others in all of its operations.

Having thus fully described our invention,

We claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The annular oil-cup B, when so combined with the spindle A as to support and enclose the bearings thereof, substantially as herein set forth.

2. An enlarged waste-oil cup, '1, having a contracted rim, or neck, and combined with the spindle, or shaft, of a centrifugal machine, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

3. A corrugated draining-basket, or cylinder, B, in combination with the spindle, or shaft, A, of a centrifugal machine, substantially as herein set forth,

4. India-rubber or other elastic packing, interposed between the supports of a centrifugal machine and thebeams or base to:whichitisattached, or from which it is supported, substantially as herein setforth.

5. The combination of a cone friction-pulley, M N, with the driving-spindle A of a suspended centrifugal machine, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

6. The within-described combination and arrangement of the friction-pulley M N of the spindle A, the driving-pulley S, and connecting-band O, for the purpose herein specified.

The foregoing specification of our improvements in centrifugal sugar-draining machines, signed by us, this 26th day of September, 1868.

'- HUGH W. LAF'FERTY.

ROBERT LAFFERTY.

Witnesses:

W. O. M'ULFORD, SAML D. MULFORD. 

